Recircle Awards Recognises Sustainable Innovation in the Tyre Industry at Autopromotec 2025

Recircle Awards Recognises Sustainable Innovation in the Tyre Industry at Autopromotec 2025

The fourth edition of the Recircle Awards, recognising sustainable innovation in the global tyre retreading and recycling sectors, announced its winners during a ceremony at Autopromotec 2025 recently.

The awards, organised by Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling magazines, received over 4,000 legitimate votes through their website, reflecting growing industry interest in sustainable practices.

Bengt-Sture Ershag, founder of Scandinavian Enviro Systems, received the Lifetime Achievement Award in The Tyre Recycling Sector. “I’m honoured to receive this award and grateful for the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to my field,” Ershag said, crediting colleagues and mentors for their support throughout his career.

The winners in the 22 categories of the 2025 Recircle Awards are as follows:

  • Best Company Director: Haarjeev Kandhari (Vaculug)
  • Best Retreading Accessory and Consumables Supplier: VM Rubber
  • Best Retreading Equipment Supplier: Italmatic
  • Best Retreading Industry Innovation: Italmatic: Crater Tire CT 4.0 Double Skiving Robot
  • Best Tread Rubber Supplier: Marangoni
  • Best Tyre Recycling Industry Supplier: Eco Green Equipment
  • Best Tyre Recycling Innovation: Regom: ELT Sorting Technology
  • Business Breakthrough Award: Rover Research
  • Circular Economy Award: Liberty Tire and Walmart
  • Employee of the Year: Leonardo Oliveira (Vipal Rubber)
  • Retreader of the Year Award: Marangoni
  • Spirit of Retreading Award: 633 Tyres
  • Tyre Recycler of the Year Award: Genan
  • Women’s Award for the Tyre Retreading Sector: Christina Guth (AZUR Network)
  • Women’s Award for the Tyre Recycling Sector: Ifedolapo Runsewe (Freee Recycle)
  • Industry Achievement Award for the Tyre Recycling Sector: SDAB for the creation of the End-of-Life Tyre Research Portal
  • Tyre Industry Education Award: Univipal
  • Spirit of Tyre Recycling Award: Freee Recycle
  • Tyre Pyrolysis Award: Bolder Industries
  • Spirit of Tread Rubber Manufacturing Award: Galgo
  • Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tyre Retreading Sector: Mario Marangoni
  • Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tyre Recycling Sector: Bengt-Sture Ershag

Mario Marangoni, Chairman of Marangoni Holding S.p.A., was also recognised with a lifetime achievement award. He described the honour as acknowledging “a journey that began in the climate of sanctions and autarchy of the Second World War and led to the introduction of recycling and reuse of tyre retreading.”

This year’s edition introduced two new categories specifically recognising women’s contributions to the sector, part of efforts to make the awards more inclusive.

David Wilson, Chairman of the Nominations Committee and editor of the organising magazines, said the voting numbers demonstrate growing sector interest in environmental innovation. “We hope these awards will continue to contribute to promoting green business and raising awareness about the circular economy,” Wilson stated.

The awards aim to highlight sustainable innovation, production processes, management and services within the tyre retreading and recycling industries, with Autopromotec serving as the primary sponsor.

LANXESS Announces Price Hike For Rubber Additives

LANXESS Announces Price Hike For Rubber Additives

German specialty chemicals company LANXESS has announced a global price increase for its portfolio of functional additives for the manufacture of tyres and speciality rubbers. These changes, which are set to take effect immediately or as soon as individual contract terms permit, will see prices rise by 15 to 50 percent.

The driving forces behind these significant pricing actions are multifaceted, rooted in substantial disruptions to global supply chains. These disruptions are largely attributed to the ongoing geopolitical conflict, which has had a cascading effect on logistics. Compounding this issue are the sharply rising costs associated with transportation and essential raw materials.

Orion S.A. Announces Price Hike For Speciality Carbon Black

Orion S.A. Announces Price Hike For Speciality Carbon Black

Orion S.A., a global speciality chemicals company, has announced a global price increase for its portfolio of speciality carbon black. These changes, which are set to take effect immediately or as soon as individual contract terms permit, will see prices rise by up to 25 percent.

In a strategic move to address persistent market volatility, the company is also implementing a variable surcharge on top of the base price increase. The driving forces behind these significant pricing actions are multifaceted, rooted in substantial disruptions to global supply chains. These disruptions are largely attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has had a cascading effect on logistics. Compounding this issue are the sharply rising costs associated with transportation and essential raw materials.

WACKER Announces Price Hike For Polymers Product Range

WACKER Announces Price Hike For Polymers Product Range

German chemical group WACKER has announced a price hike across its global polymers portfolio, responding directly to significant upheavals in international commodity markets triggered by the recent military conflict in the Middle East. This geopolitical instability has created pronounced distortions throughout the supply chain, leading to a sharp escalation in the costs of essential inputs. The company is experiencing substantially higher prices for crude oil and natural gas as well as for various other raw materials and logistics services.

To address this challenging economic landscape and offset the considerable burden of increased raw material and transportation expenses, the chemical group is implementing price adjustments effective 1 April 2026. The updated pricing will apply to several key product categories, specifically including polymer dispersions, a variety of resins and dispersible polymer powders. This strategic move is essential for the company to maintain operational stability and continue delivering its products reliably amidst the volatile market conditions.

The final scale of these price increases is not a fixed, across-the-board figure but will be determined by specific variables. It will largely depend on the original source of the product, with goods manufactured at the company’s European and Asian production sites being most affected. Furthermore, the terms outlined in existing customer contracts will also play a crucial role in defining the exact extent of the adjustment, ensuring a tailored approach to the implementation of this necessary price correction.

Cabot Announces Price Hike For Speciality Carbons And Compounds

Cabot Announces Price Hike For Speciality Carbons And Compounds

Cabot Corporation has announced a comprehensive global price adjustment for its portfolio of carbon black products. These changes, which are set to take effect immediately or as soon as individual contract terms permit, will see prices rise by up to 20 percent, with the exact percentage varying according to the specific product type and the regional market. This adjustment is not limited to the speciality carbons division; it will also be applied to the offerings from the company’s speciality compounds business.

In a strategic move to address persistent market volatility, Cabot is also implementing an ongoing surcharge on top of the base price increase. The company has indicated that this additional fee will be subject to regular and ongoing evaluation, allowing for adjustments that reflect the dynamic nature of current market conditions. The driving forces behind these significant pricing actions are multifaceted, rooted in substantial disruptions to global supply chains. These disruptions are largely attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has had a cascading effect on logistics. Compounding this issue are the sharply rising costs associated with transportation, energy and essential raw materials.

Cabot emphasises that these necessary pricing measures are fundamental to its commitment to maintaining operational stability. By implementing these changes, the corporation aims to secure its position as a dependable partner over the long term, ensuring it can continue to supply high-integrity speciality carbons, black masterbatches and conductive compounds to its global customer base without interruption.